Updated sedan delivers sleeker look, smoother ride
Audi picked Barcelona to host its inaugural Summit. The idea is to showcase all things Audi, from sports activities to connectivity and piloted driving. However, the star of this year’s event was the totally new, fourth-generation A8.
The A8 ushers in the new-look front end: The new grille gives the impression of width to an already substantial car. The back end is spanned by a sweeping OLED light bar. The use of organic LEDs gives the lamp clusters a 3D look that says class. It certainly brings a stronger presence to what was a rather formal sedan.
Between the extremes, everything is pretty much new. When it arrives, it will be offered in both regular and long wheelbase (a 130-millimetre stretch) versions with a choice of five engines, all of which use a battery/starter/alternator (BAS) mild hybrid system that’s supported by a new 48-volt architecture. A full-on plug-in hybrid will join the ranks later.
The engines include 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged gas (340 horsepower) and diesel (286 hp) units, 4.0-L turbocharged gas (460 hp) and diesel (435 hp) engines, along with the range-topping 6.0-L W12. Each drives all four wheels through Audi’s quattro system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The plug-in hybrid arrives with a 3.0-L turbocharged V6 with an electric motor sandwiched between it and the transmission. The combination puts out a hefty 449 hp and, more importantly, 516 lb-ft of torque. The 14.1 kilowatt hour lithiumion battery gives the plug-in a 50-kilometre electric-only driving range, and at speeds of up to 135 km/h. In a new twist, it can be charged wirelessly through a pad that will sit on the owner’s garage floor.
The suspension and steering also get major overhauls. The first is the addition of rear-wheel steering. It turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts at speeds of up to 60 km/h (and by up to five degrees) and turns them in the same direction by around two-degrees above that speed. The setup cuts the turning circle by 1.1 metres (to 11.4 m), meaning it wheels around in less space than the smaller A4. It also brings faster and more stable highway lane changes.
The suspension is radically different, with the A8 adopting a true active suspension. Each corner is supported by load-levelling air springs and an electric motor that powers the left and right halves of the anti-roll bar independently. This means it can raise or lower the wheel according to need. It delivers a smoother ride by dialing out all pitch under hard braking and squat when accelerating. The clever part is that at speeds of up to 70 km/h it uses a camera to read the road and look for bumps. When the system detects one it begins to do its thing so when the car does encounter the bump the rider remains oblivious.
The cabin is, without question, the plushest and most technically advanced in the business. There are three large screens: one for Audi’s Virtual Cockpit and two for the infotainment system. Here, the upper screen houses the functions and maps, the lower screen allows everything to be operated with no fuss whatsoever. The look is clean and uncluttered, which makes the cabin look elegant in its simplicity.
There’s also a full-on rear-seat entertainment system offered, a centre armrest with controls for the climate and seat functions, along with a cubby that houses a foot massager. Yes, a tootsie rub on the way to work!